CARIOLANUS. 33
bafladours fhould be sent to Coriolanus to demaund peace: who retourned them againe with a froward anfwere, to this effect : that first they fhould restore to the Volfcians their countrie, which they had conquered, and that done, he willed them to seke for peace. Yet they sent againe AmbafTadours, but in no wife they were fuffered to come into their campe. Then the prieftes cladde in their ornamentes, and other diuine furniture, were sent humblye to make peticion for peace : And yet they coulde not perfwade theim. Then the Romaine Dames repayred to Veturia the mo ther of Coriolanus, and to his wyfe Volumnia. But whether the fame was done by common confent, or by the aduife of the femi nine kind, it is vncertaine. It was appointed that Veturia, being an auncient gentlewoman, and mother of Coriolanus and Volum nia his wife, with her two yonge children, fhould repaire to the campe, to the intent that they by their pitiful lamentacion, might defende the citie, which otherwise by force, was not able to be kept. At their arriuall, Veturia was knowen by one of her sonnes familier frends, standing betwene her doughter in law, and her two neuies, who caried word immediatlye to Coriolanus, how his mother, his wife and children, were come into the Campe to fpeake with him. Coriolanus hearing him fay so, descended from his feate, like one not wel in his wits, and went sorth to embrace his mother. The old gentlewoman from fupplications, fell into a great rage, fpeak- inge these woordes. "Abide a while besore I do receiue thy em- bracementes, let me knowe whether I am comen to mine enemie, or to my sonne, or whether I am a prisoner in thy Campe, or thy mother. Alacke how long haue I prolonged these auncient yeares, and hoare heares most vnhappie, that nowe first I do behold thee an exile, and then view thee mine enemie. Canft thou finde in thy harte, to depopulate and destroy this thy country, wherin thou waft begotten and brought vp ? Could not thy rage and furie be appeafed, when thou diddest first put soote into the limites of this thy country? Did not natural zeale pearce thy cruel hart, when thou diddest first caft thine eyes upon this citie? Is not the houfe of thy mother, and her domefticall Goddes, conteyned within the walles of yonder Citie ? Do not thy sorrowful mother, thy deare wife and children, inhabite within the compaste of yonder citie ?
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